Voyage To the Lower World (8)

Let me see; who is he?

Megapenthes, son of Lacydes; tyrant.

Come up, Megapenthes.

Nay, nay, my lady Clotho; suffer me to return for a little while, and I will come of my own accord, without waiting to be summoned,

What do you want to go for?

I crave permission to complete my palace: I left the building half-finished.

Pooh! Come along.

Oh Fate, I ask no long reprieve. Vouchsafe me this one day, that I may inform my wife where my great treasure lies buried.

Impossible. 'Tis Fate’s decree.

And all that money is to be thrown away?

Not thrown away. Be under no uneasiness. Your cousin Megacles will take charge of it.

Oh, monstrous! My enemy, whom from sheer good-nature I omitted to put to death?

The same. He will survive you for rather more than forty years; in the full enjoyment of your harem, your wardrobe, and your treasure.

It is too bad of you, Clotho, to hand over my property to my worst enemy.

My dear sir, it was Cydimachus’s property first, surely? You only succeeded to it by murdering him, and butchering his children before his eyes.

Yes, but it was mine after that.

Well, and now your term of possession expires.